The present invention relates to a method for the permanent coloring of hair with longer lasting conditioning and with minimized hair damage.
Most hair coloring products fall under three major groupings:
1. Temporary hair color.
2. Semi permanent hair color.
3. Permanent hair color.
Temporary hair color is a leave on product that causes minimal damage to the hair. However, temporary hair color causes stains, and leaches out under rain or with perspiration. Temporary hair color washes out with the next shampoo. Temporary hair color also does not give any control to the consumer over the amount of color deposited or the permanency of the color supplied. Temporary hair color does not result in a wide variety of colors and it has only a limited appeal.
Semi-permanent hair color comes as a rinse, and it causes minimal damage to the hair. However, semi-permanent hair color washes out to some degree with each shampoo and washes out completely within about 4 to 6 shampoos. Semi permanent hair color does not give the consumer any control regarding the amount of color deposited or the permanency of the color. Semi-permanent hair color has limited popularity with consumers.
Permanent hair color generally comes in two parts: a dye solution and a developer solution. Because of the damaging nature of conventional permanent hair coloring treatments, most home coloring products come with a post treatment conditioner. In a permanent hair coloring treatment, the dye solution and the developer solution are mixed and then applied to the hair, which is then left for about 25 to about 35 minutes. The hair is then rinsed with water, treated with a post treatment conditioner, and then rinsed again with water.
The application of the dye solution and the developer solution affords permanent hair coloring. However, this method does not provide any conditioning benefit. The conditioning benefit comes through application of the post treatment conditioner, and it is only temporary. The conditioning benefit is lost with the next shampoo. Moreover, with permanent hair coloring treatments, shampooing the hair is usually not recommended after said treatments. Thus, hair is left feeling dirty, and can stain towels and pillows.
Permanent hair coloring products need to be applied every four to six weeks, since hair grows out of the scalp at the rate of approximately one half inch per month. Each coloring application causes damage to the hair, and that damage is cumulative. Hair color touch ups after the initial treatment would also damage hair more.
It would be desirable to develop a method for permanently coloring hair that conditions hair, gives hair a soft clean feel, and minimizes the damage caused to hair by the coloring process. The present invention provides such a method.
Conventional permanent hair coloring products cannot be used safely in the shower. It is an object of this invention to develop a method for permanently coloring hair, which can be carried out safely in the shower. It is also an object of the invention to provide a method for permanently coloring hair wherein the user has control of the amount of permanent or durable color deposited without causing hair damage. It is also an object of the invention to provide a method for permanently coloring hair wherein the user has control over the amount lifting/lightening without causing hair damage. It is also an object of the invention to provide a method for permanently coloring hair wherein the user can employ the product as his or her daily hair care product to avoid new outgrowth of uncolored hair. It is also an object of the invention to provide a method for permanently coloring hair wherein said method involves less mess and difficulty than conventional permanent hair coloring methods. It is also an object of the invention to provide a method for permanently coloring hair wherein said method brings about gradual permanent hair color changes with each application. Since gradual hair color changes are to occur, such a method would be virtually mistake free because the consumer could stop or alter the coloring method if he or she did not like the course the hair coloring was taking. It is also an object of the invention to provide a method for permanently coloring hair wherein the amount of hair coloring composition employed can be varied from application to application in order to adjust the hair coloring results.
These and other aspects of this invention will become evident by a detailed description of the invention given below.
Patents related to the field of this invention are as follows:
U.S. Pat. No. 4,104,021 which discloses a process in which human hair is dyed in successive treatments at selected intervals with oxidation colors (aromatic primary amines and amino phenols) admixed in each treatment with an oxidizing agent (H2O2 or a derivative thereof)xe2x80x94the quantity of oxidation colorant applied in each treatment being substantially the same and the quantity of oxidizing agent being increased from the first to the last treatment to effect a gradual increase in depth of shadexe2x80x94the mixture being allowed to remain on the hair for substantially the same time in each treatment, followed by removal by rinsing.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,529,404 discloses an autoxidizable hair dye preparation capable of coloring or darkening hair when applied thereto and exposed to the atmosphere comprising a mixture of (I) at least one p-phenylene diamine compound, or An acid addition salt thereof, and (II) at least one 1,2,4-benzenetriol compound, each compound optionally containing nuclearly substituted C.sub.1-4 alkyl, alkoxy, hydroxyalkyl or halogen. The preparation is preferably applied and exposed to the atmosphere repeatedly until the desired degree of darkening or color build-up is attained.
The preparations of this invention may also contain known additives or assistants such as hair grooming agents, for example quaternized vinyl pyrrolidone copolymers, carboxyvinyl polymers and the like, plasticizers, conditioners, thickeners, slip and wetting agents such as polyoxyethylenated fatty (e.g. lauryl) alcohols, stearyidimethylammonium chloride, silicone copolymer, foam boosters, preservatives, perfumes and the like.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,968,486 describes a shampoo composition for lightening and highlighting hair which comprises
(i) a peroxygen compound; and
(ii) an anionic sulfonate;
said composition having a pH less than 5. There is also described an invention directed to a method for lightening and highlighting hair which comprises shampooing the hair with a lightening and highlighting effective amount of a composition of the invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,274,126 discloses a hair conditioning composition for conditioning, lightening, and highlighting hair, which comprises
i) peroxygen compound, and
ii) a conditioning agent,
said composition having a pH of 5 or less.
The invention relates to a method for achieving permanent desired hair color change through the daily or frequent use of hair care compositions. The hair care compositions of the invention comprise a mixture of two compositions, part A and part B as described just below:
Part A: oxidation hair dyes in a conditioner or shampoo base at alkaline pH
Part B: an oxidative hair dye such as hydrogen peroxide in a conditioner or shampoo base at acidic pH.